Shizuo Kambayashi / AP

Director James Cameron attends a press conference to promote his 3-D version of "Titanic" in Tokyo Friday, March 30, 2012.

He snagged the world record for the deepest solo dive last week in the South Pacific, but James Cameron just can't resist going back to Titanic.

In London for the premiere of his 3-D rerelease of his Best Picture-winning epic about the doomed ocean liner, which is hitting theaters next month in honor of its 15th anniversary, the famed director talked to E! News about the making of "Titanic," the phenomenon it became and casting stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

Here are five new things we learned:

More from E: 'Titanic 3-D' premieres in London--where was Leonardo DiCaprio?!

1. Keep Reshuffling Those Deck Chairs: Cameron, 57, admitted he may have bit off more than he could chew with the 1997 melodrama, particularly given the cost overruns that earned Titanic a flood of negative publicity, so much so that it was being heralded as a bomb before it even opened.

"You know it just seemed like we were doomed," the helmer tells E! News, reflecting back at the long shoot and tortuous postproduction process. "The press were just having their way with us...that we were the biggest idiots in history of Hollywood at least since "Cleopatra"...and so it was difficult. You just had to focus on the work and [hope] that all those rounds just go over the top of the bunker."

2. Capturing Lightning in a Bottle: On "Titanic" becoming a box-office phenomenon -- its $1.8 billion in global ticket sales were the highest-grossing film in history until surpassed by his own film, "Avatar" -- Cameron cited as the reason the fact the flick was able to tap into a set of universal emotions, "speaking to people at a deep kind of universal level that just bypassed language and idiom and culture.

" 'Titanic'...says, 'What would you do if you had an hour or two to live? Would you sacrifice yourself? Would you be that hero? Would you be that guy like Jack or some of those men that put the woman and children onto the lifeboats?'" mused the filmmaker.

More from E: Watch! First images of James Cameron's historic drive

3. On Winslet's Audition: Cameron was effusive in his praise for his lead actress. "We cast Kate first and she just blew me away at her screen test," he remembered.

4. Enter the Heartthrob: The King of the World Deep instantly knew the chemistry was right when DiCaprio read for him. "I noticed there was something strange when Leo came in for his first meeting and all of a sudden all the women who worked for me in my entire production company were all in the meeting," Cameron said. "I thought well that's a little strange...and then Leonardo walked in and I went, 'Oh I get it I see what's going on.' Even at that age he was just such a remarkable actor and so accomplished."

More from E: James Cameron dives to the ocean's deepest point to explore and film the Marianas Trench

5. On Leo's Sudden Fame: Lastly, the artist turned pioneering deep sea explorer revealed that DiCaprio ran away from his iconic role post-"Titanic" because he feared being typecast. "I think it was tough on Leo because he had planned a career as an actor," Cameron said. "I mean, he admired De Niro and that ability to just immerse himself in any character and he knew now...with that iconic status of his character Jack in 'Titanic' that he was going to have to fight against that for a while. So I think he kind of distanced himself from the movie...Now he's fine because he's proven himself."

And so has Cameron both on the screen and off...or at least until "Avatar 2" and "Avatar 3' hit theaters in a few years.

Gallery from E: Movies from the future!

Related content:

Winslet: Dion's 'Titanic' song makes me want to throw up

Events mark 100th anniversary of Titanic sinking

Current TV has fired Keith Olbermann, a network spokeswoman told TheWrap.

The controversial news host has been at the fledgling cable channel for less than a year, but the relationship has been rocky since the get-go and individuals on both sides of the dispute accused the other of breaching contract.

Olbermann will not get the opportunity to sign off on air, as Eliot Spitzer will replace him starting Friday night, the network announced.

More from TheWrap.com: Rift between Olbermann, Current deepens

Current informed Olbermann of his dismissal Thursday morning, and in a note on Friday Current co-founders Al Gore and Joel Hyatt made their displeasure clear.

Olbermann quickly responded on Twitter, threatening legal action.

He also apologized to viewers, but said he had to end his show after he was unable to resolve his differences with Current executives. 

"I'd like to apologize to my viewers and my staff for the failure of Current TV. Editorially, Countdown had never been better," Olbermann tweeted.

"But for more than a year I have been imploring @AlGore and @JoelHyatt to resolve our issues internally," he added, saying that they had instead publicized their disputes. 

Olbermann's attorney Patricia Glaser confirmed to TheWrap that they will sue Current.

"They made a bad decision. They can expect a bad result," Glaser said, adding that they would be filing a complaint next week.

More from TheWrap.com: Al Gore: What Olbermann will do for Current TV

According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, that dispute was part of a larger chain of errors by Olbermann, who was fired for a "serial, material breach of his contract" such as the failure to show up to work, sabotaging the network and attacking Current.

That individual said Olbermann missed 19 of 41 working days during January and February and asked for vacation the night before Super Tuesday, giving the network "strong legal foundation" for dismissing Olbermann.

Glaser descibed said claims as "hogwash."

Olbermann's contract not only paid him a hefty sum, but gave him equity in the network. He also held the title of Current's Chief News Officer.

This was but the very messy culmination of a lengthy back and forth between Current and its star, who has a long history of butting heads with his bosses, having previously tangled with them at ESPN and MSNBC.

(TODAY.com is powered by msnbc.com, which is a joint venture between Microsoft and NBC Universal, which operates MSNBC TV.)

Olbermann got into a contretemps with Current over his role during Republican primary election coverage last December. Back in early January, executives at Current TV said that relations – especially those with Current CEO Joel Hyatt – were at a breaking point after deteriorating over several months.

Olbermann declined to cover the Iowa caucus when he learned he would have to share the hosting chair with others.

His show on Current was hailed as the centerpiece of its transition towards progressive programming, and Current has added two prime time evening shows and two morning shows to its lineup.

"Countdown" will now be replaced by "Viewpoint with Eliot Spitzer."

Spitzer, the former governor of New York, has minimal broadcast experience, having previously hosted the low-rated CNN show "In The Arena." 

Here is the full memo from the Current website:

To the Viewers of Current:

We created Current to give voice to those Americans who refuse to rely on corporate-controlled media and are seeking an authentic progressive outlet.  We are more committed to those goals today than ever before.

Current was also founded on the values of respect, openness, collegiality, and loyalty to our viewers.   Unfortunately these values are no longer reflected in our relationship with Keith Olbermann and we have ended it. 

We are moving ahead by honoring Current's values.  Current has a fundamental obligation to deliver news programming with a progressive perspective that our viewers can count on being available daily -- especially now, during the presidential election campaign.  Current exists because our audience desires the kind of perspective, insight and commentary that is not easily found elsewhere in this time of big media consolidation.

As we move toward this summer's political conventions and the general election in the fall, Current is making significant new additions to our broadcasts.   We have just debuted six hours of new programming each weekday with Bill Press ("Full Court Press, at 6 am ET/3 am PT) and Stephanie Miller ("Talking Liberally," at 9 am ET/6 pm PT).   

We’re very excited to announce that beginning tonight, former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer will host “Viewpoint with Eliot Spitzer,” at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT.  Eliot is a veteran public servant and an astute observer of the issues of the day. He has important opinions and insights and he relishes the kind of constructive discourse that our viewers will appreciate this election year. 

We are confident that our viewers will be able to count on Governor Spitzer to deliver critical information on a daily basis.

All of these additions to Current's lineup are aimed at achieving one simple goal -- thegoal that has always been central to Current's mission:  To tell stories no one else will tell, to speak truth to power, and to influence the conversation of democracy on behalf of those whose voice is too seldom heard.  We, and everyone at Current, want to thank our viewers for their continued steadfast support.

Sincerely,

Al Gore & Joel Hyatt

Current's Founders

Are you a fan of the cable TV host? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

More in The Clicker:

• Teens rule in the bloody 'Game of Thrones'
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• 'True Blood' star Chris Meloni prepares to hunt down Kony in Funny or Die video

Mario Anzuoni / Reuters file

On March 22, an L.A. Coroner's autopsy report confirmed that traces of cocaine were found in Whitney Houston's system after her Feb. 11 death.

On Friday, TMZ has learned that the powdery white substance was also present in the late singer's Beverly Hills hotel room, where she was found submerged under water inside a bathtub the evening before the 2012 Grammys. (The autopsy ruled Houston's main cause of death as an accidental drowning.)

PHOTOS: Most shocking celebrity deaths of all time

The site writes, "As for the quantity of cocaine that was found, official documents show one of the items police recovered was 'white, powdery remnants.' Sources tell us the powder was tested and it's cocaine."

PHOTOS: Whitney Houston, 1963-2012

On March 23, Leolah Brown (Houston's ex-husband Bobby Brown's sister) went on CNN's "Headline News" where she told Dr. Drew that Ray J should be held responsible for the cocaine evidence.

PHOTOS: Stars who've struggled with addiction

After Leolah accused Houston's man friend as a "runner boy," his rep released a statement on his behalf, calling her remarks, "rife with false statements."

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Is Victoria Beckham the same size as the average woman? According to the fashion designer and former Spice Girl, her dress size (U.K. size 6/U.S. size 2-4) represents that of the “general public.”

In a photo spread and interview for the May issue of Harper’s Bazaar UK, Beckham was asked about designing clothes and understanding the fit and preferences of her customers. “We always joke that we have this fabulously gorgeous 17-year-old model who is six-foot-whatever," she said. "And then I say ‘OK, I’m going to put it on. I stand for the general public here.'"

Beckham, who recently gave birth to her fourth child, tells the magazine, "Maybe my tummy isn't as tight as it used to be, but I've got four amazing kids, and that's what really matters."

The designer goes on to talk about her work process while pregnant, noting “it was very hard when I didn't have my body.".

The singer turned designer has faced scrutiny over her slight frame. British critics called her “skinny, gaunt, downcast, malnourished and moody,” at a fashion event in February, and in response, Beckham told the Daily Mirror, “I’m basically just like any woman who’s working and has lots of children – it’s tough.”

Not everyone thinks Beckham is just like any woman, however.

“It worries me that firstly, she is portraying herself as being a normal size, when in actual fact she goes to great lengths to be this small,” writes reader Kitty Preston on the Daily Mail. “Secondly, that the average size of British women is a 16! We should strive to be more healthy and undertake more exercise. Surely then the average UK woman would not be a 16.”

Adds U.S. reader kc, “As an American film extra in over 230 productions, I am a 12…Mrs Beckham is about a 0-6 tops ...  if she wants to be that thin, so be it. But she DOES NOT represent the average American here.”

Do you agree Beckham's size represents the general public? Tell us on Facebook.

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• Roseanne Barr tweets Zimmerman's address

Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Roseanne Barr

Apparently Roseanne Barr didn't learn anything from the Twitter misadventures of Spike Lee.

Lee apologized on Wednesday evening and offered to compensate an elderly Florida couple who had to flee their home after he tweeted their address on March 23, claiming it was that of the parents of George Zimmerman, the man who killed teenager Trayvon Martin.

But according to the Smoking Gun, on Wednesday, Barr tweeted the correct address for Zimmerman's parents, then deleted the tweet, then threatened to tweet it again.

 “If Zimmerman isn't arrested I'll rt his address again. maybe go 2 his house myself," Barr tweeted.

Criticism came quickly from the comedian's more than 100,000 followers.

Tweeted rob b, “Apparently Roseanne Barr is even dumber than Spike Lee, tweeting the correct home address of George [Zimmerman’s] parents.”

In response, Barr wrote on Twitter Friday, “The 'witchburnings' will continue despite apology…Decent [people] move on, indecent ones like to keep slinging mud [because] they r morally damaged.”

According to the Smoking Gun, the information Barr circulated was correct. However, she later admitted, “I don't know if the address is accurate or not.”

Oprah Winfrey discussed Martin’s killing Wednesday with Extra TV, deeming the investigation a “tragedy.”

Winfrey told Extra, "I saw some people on Twitter saying nothing has changed, the same thing's going on. Lots has changed and you know why? Because black people, white people, brown people, yellow people all over this country and all over the world are saying the same thing...It's a tragedy and it's a shame and justice needs to be served."

Winfrey said that she would like to interview Zimmerman about the case. "I would love to talk to him," she told Extra.

What do you think of Rosenne's tweets? Tell us on Facebook.

 Related content:

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• Chaka Khan leads tribute song for Trayvon Martin

Fred Prouser / Reuters file

Jerry Lee Lewis in 2010.

Jerry Lee Lewis has married his cousin's ex-wife, CNN reports.

This is the seventh marriage for the 76-year-old rocker, who wed Judith Brown on March 9 in Natchez, Miss. Brown was once married to Lewis' cousin Rusty Brown.

Lewis is no stranger to unconventional paths to romance. The singer infamously married his cousin, Myra Gale Brown -- Rusty's sister –- when he was 23 and she was only 13 years old back in 1958. This marriage, a tabloid sensation at the time, tarnished Lewis' reputation and did some damage to his career.

More from Rolling Stone:

• The 100 greatest artists of all time: Jerry Lee Lewis
• The 100 greatest singers of all time: Jerry Lee Lewis

Rick Lynch / AP

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet have gone on and on in "Titanic."

Don't tell Celine Dion, but Kate Winslet doesn't exactly get verklempt over "My Heart Will Go On."

The Oscar-winning actress, 36, says the classic "Titanic" theme song beloved by some and loathed by others seems to follow and "haunt" her wherever she goes, nearly 15 years after the blockbuster film and soundtrack were released.

"I wish I could say, 'Oh listen, everybody! It's the Celine Dion song!' But I don't," Winslet, now promoting the new 3-D version of Titanic, confessed to MTV News. "I just have to sit there, you know, kind of straight-faced with a massive internal eye roll."

PHOTOS: Kate Winslet's totally sexy style

The emotional, chart-topping ballad makes her "feel like throwing up," the "Mildred Pierce" star said. "It's thrilling for people to surprise me with the Celine Dion song."

The torture got even worse recently when she did an Italian TV talk show, and "they actually had a live pianist who started gently playing the theme song."

PHOTOS: LOL! Funniest, meanest celeb quotes

Winslet was "rather severely urged to go and sing it as though I had in fact sung it myself in the first place," she explained.

(French-Canadian sing Dion, 44, of course, did the honors on the Oscar-winning hit.)

PHOTOS: Celeb feuds

"It was like, 'No! I'm not going to do that.' They're like, 'Oh no, come on it will be funny.'" she said of the awkward song request. "No, it won't be funny. At all. And I'm not going to."

Do you think "My Heart Will Go On" is a great song?

Related content:

• Voice virus reportedly forces Celine Dion to cancel Vegas shows
• Did Richard Gere really slam 'Pretty Woman' as 'silly' and his 'least favorite thing'?
• Events mark 100th anniversary of Titanic sinking

Updated, noon PT: Megan Fox may be one of the hottest women in Hollywood -- but she wants to make it clear that she doesn't see herself that way.

Facebook

The 25-year-old "Friends With Kids" actress is featured on the cover of French magazine Jalouse's April issue. In their interview with her, Fox is quoted as saying she "live[s] well with my image. I cannot complain. I would not trade my place with an unattractive girl."

Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images

Megan Fox

PHOTOS: Is Megan Fox trying to be like Angelina?

An annoyed Fox took to her Facebook page Friday to clarify her comments. "Sigh. The actual comment, the context and its intention are grossly distorted and misrepresented here," Fox writes on her profile page (above), adding that poor translation is really to blame. "I gave this interview in English obviously," she says. "It was then translated to French and now back into English."

PHOTOS: Hot! Check out pics of Megan Fox's sexy body evolution

The actress insists the quotes are completely out of character for her, and says she's not the type to make the type of "vapid self serving comments" printed by the magazine. In fact, Fox asserts, "[I am] in contradiction...uncontrollably self deprecating."

PHOTOS: Megan's Transformers style

Earlier this month, Fox opened up to MIAMI magazine about feeling insecure and lonely as a teen. "I was never the pretty girl," she shared, calling her younger self "obnoxious" and "abrasive."

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Relativity Media

Julia Roberts and Lily Collins star in "Mirror Mirror."

REVIEW: "Mirror Mirror" on the wall, skip this movie and go to the mall.

Why did Hollywood decide to pour millions of dollars into making "Mirror Mirror"? Did the "Snow White" story really need a fresh take? (It's getting yet another in June when "Snow White and the Huntsman" hits theaters.)

Perhaps all copies of the classic Disney version have suddenly disappeared (no) or there are simply zero new ideas left in movies (you can answer that one).

So many unanswered questions. Did Hollywood desperately need to utilize some giant fluffy costumes left over from Johnny Depp's "Alice in Wonderland"? Did the idea of focusing on Julia Roberts as the evil queen seem like a can't miss idea? Did some studio executive think it genius to have real people play the dwarfs, and have them be sour and fighty instead of cartoony and cuddly?

It's unclear what is supposed to sell this film. Give it this: It's PG, and there's nothing that will shock or scare your average preschooler, so you can tag it as family friendly. And Roberts has some good lines as an evil queen with a sense of sarcasm, calling Snow White's name "the most pretentious (one that her parents) could come up with."

But it's not really her film -- it's not anyone's film. Roberts' early narration leads viewers to think this is the Snow White tale from the evil queen's point of view, but it never commits to that. Roberts' queen remains a cipher with some fun dialogue -- we never even understand why she walks through a weird watery dimension to get to a magic mirror that only shows her a tamer version of herself.

As  Snow White, Lily Collins isn't that likable as a pretty princess and she's certainly not believable as a sudden swordswoman.  Armie Hammer tries as the prince, but he and Collins have no chemistry and he's thrown random plots that go nowhere. (Now you think you're a dog! Now Julia Roberts is drooling over your naked chest!) None of the dwarves stand out, and unlike their cartoon counterparts, even their (new) names aren't memorable. If you can tell Butcher from Napoleon from Grimm, you deserve an unpoisoned apple pie as a reward.

If you need to entertain a youngster on a rainy Saturday, rent them the Disney original and save everyone some grief.

More from movies:

• George Lucas: I'll never make another 'Star Wars'
• Will Ferrell confirms 'Anchorman' sequel
• Stars say 'Snow White and the Huntsman' isn't dark

Listen up, America. If there’s anyone out there that can teach a thing or two about running a successful Super PAC, it’s Stephen Colbert. Not only is the host of “Colbert Report” currently spearheading a successful PAC movement by generating interest in the organizations through his infamous “Super Fun PAC,” according to congressional website TheHill.com, Colbert is also generating more Super PAC buzz than some of the current GOP candidates. Not to mention, the endless quips have kept the show nothing short of entertaining.

Remember the Super PAC kidnapping fiasco between Colbert and  “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart a while ago? After that debacle it’s no wonder that the interest in the matter hasn’t quelled. Considering his influence, as Colbert explains, it also comes as no surprise that a student from the University of Texas wrote a letter detailing his “overwhelming urge” to start a Colbert Super PAC organization at his school. And so, the extension of Colbert’s political tentacles begins!

Colbert dubs the new organization at the University of Texas “Texans for A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow” and he doesn’t stop there. His generosity  extends to every college in America so they can have their own Colbert PAC.  In his infomercial voice he explains: If you have a burning desire for civil engagement (and $99 to spare), then you can have the Colbert Super PAC “Super Fun Pack” -- a do-it-yourself guide to creating your own Super PAC.

In it you’ll find all the necessary legal documents to create one…which is really just one sheet from the Federal Election Commission. Getting the guide from the PAC, as opposed to free online – Colbert explains – would spare you from the awkwardness of having loved ones see the FEC come up in your browser history.  Also included in the nifty pack, is a hand drawn instruction manual, an Allen wrench, a “Turtles don’t like peanut butter” t-shirt, a sign that reads “If the Super PAC is caucusing, don’t bother knockusing!” a pair of Colbert Super PAC tube socks, and to top it all off ... a Forbes list of 400 richest Americans for your donations.

And just think -- all those goodies for a mere $99!

• Colbert refuses to eat his 'Baroccoli'
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Getty Images, EPA

Eddie Murphy, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito

Is the world ready for a sequel to "Twins"?

Universal and Montecito Picture Co. are hoping to develop a doozy of a follow-up to the 1988 hit comedy that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito that would reunite the two stars.

But wait, there’s a twist: In the new scenario, Eddie Murphy would act as a third brother.

PHOTOS: Modern film & television comedians

Titled "Triplets," the story would see Schwarzenegger and DeVito as brothers Julius and Vincent, conceived experimentally, who discover they have third sibling.

The project doesn’t have a director at this early stage -- Ivan Reitman, who helmed the original, would only act as a producer with his Montecito Picture Co. cohorts Joe Medjuk, Tom Pollock and Ali Bell, according to sources -- but the hunt is on for writers to develop the idea. Insiders caution that no substantial creative discussions have taken place between Universal and Montecito.

The actors are attached to star.

This wouldn’t be the first sequel to an 1988 film that Universal is working. The studio is developing a sequel to "Midnight Run" that sees Robert De Niro, one of the film’s two original stars along with Charles Grodin, returning in an incarnation to be directed by Brett Ratner.

Related content:

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Suzi Altman / Zuma Press

Things haven't exactly gone to pieces, but George Jones needs a moment to regroup anyway.

The County Music Hall of Famer was hospitalized in Nashville Thursday with an upper respiratory infection and doctors -- who determined that he doesn't have pneumonia -- want to keep him at least overnight for observation, according to a statement on Jones' website.

But don't start calling him "No Show Jones" just yet.

MORE: George Jones Cheats Death

The "He Stopped Loving Her Today" singer isn't scheduled to hit the road again until April 20, when he's due in Minnesota, so here's hoping the 80-year-old icon is feeling healthy by then.

Jones is perhaps just as well known in the country world for his often substance-fueled exploits as he is for his music. The hitmaker, who was famously married to Tammy Wynette from 1969 to 1975, was in a near-fatal DUI crash in 1999 that left him with a punctured lung
and lacerated liver.

He's been battling back ever since, performing at awards shows and maintaining a busy touring schedule. Jones is also nominated for Vocal Event of the Year heading into the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards for collaborating with Aaron Lewis and Charlie Daniels on "Country Boy."

GALLERY: 2011 American Country Awards

Asked just last week by Pantagraph.com how he feels about being referred to as a living legend, Jones replied, "Well, it is nice to know people think you're a legend -- especially a living legend."

"I think if you ask anyone my age why they keep working, they'll say, 'If I retire, what am I going to retire to?'" he said. "What would I do with my time?"

They don't call him The Boss for nothing.

During a stop on the "Wrecking Ball" tour in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Bruce Springsteen, still spry at 62, waded into the crowd while singing "Raise Your Hand." Part way through the song, the singer announced "I need to sit down" and took a seat, at which point an adoring fan handed him a cup of beer -- that Springsteen downed in the blink of an eye, and then jumped up and continued the song.

You can see it all in the video below.

HBO

Jack Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen and Maisie Williams as Arya Stark on "Game of Thrones."

Kids grow up fast in the world of Westeros on HBO's "Game of Thrones."

One day, their worst fear is disappointing Dad, and the next they watch as he gets a public beheading and his noggin ends up mounted on a spike where the whole community can see it.

Barely a teen, Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner, 16) tries to remain calm when her 13-year-old betrothed, the not-quite-stable King Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson), degrades her and forces her to live in fear after ordering the gory demise of his future father-in-law, Ned Stark. Meanwhile, her little sister, Arya, 11 (Maisie Williams, 14), boldly escapes with a ragged clan of miscreants to find what remains of her family.

It’s a lot for kids to take on.

While no one would call “Game of Thrones” a teen drama, there’s no denying that the majority of characters are in the under-19 demo (many ranging from children to barely teens), and they carry central roles.

After the death of their daddies last season, the Stark and Baratheon kids are anything but all right when the story picks up on Sunday.  

The season begins as teenager Robb Stark has taken up the banner as the King in the North, while his similarly aged bastard brother Jon Snow soldiers on as a member of the Night's Watch, which holds the line between the lands to the south and the otherworldly dangers to the far north with a great wall. Fellow teen Theon, a noble hostage raised as their sibling, has been sent back to his home to gather the troops in support of faux-bro Robb.

And off in the hinterlands, teen widow Daenerys Targaryen, who is just 15 (played by Emilia Clarke), is leading a ragtag group of Dothraki followers, with her fledgling trio of dragons in tow.

These are just some of the younger players featured on "Game of Thrones" this season. There are more school-aged characters on the show than you’ll find on an average CW series, with even more sexual intrigues and teen angst. And, as often happens, most of those older teens are played by young adult actors in their 20s.

As impressive as the adult cast is, it’s the child actors who really stand out as they play complicated characters with an ease that belies their age. The complex series has dozens of parts, and these kids play a major role in advancing the story.

In TV, you get used to the young actors mugging it up for the camera, not exactly showing a range of emotions that would lead to an award-winning performance. The rare recent exceptions include Kaitlyn Dever, who played orphan Loretta in “Justified” when she was just 14 and stood toe-to-toe with Emmy winner Margo Martindale, and “Mad Men” phenom Kiernan Shipka, 12, who has been wowing critics for a few years as Don and Betty Draper’s daughter, Sally.

In “Game of Thrones,” the producers scored with a young cast that hits it home every week. Williams’ portrayal of one of the most popular characters in the book, Arya, doesn’t miss a step as the feisty little girl disguises herself as a boy as she fends for herself.  It’s a meaty role that could go so terribly wrong in the hands of a lesser actor.

The same holds true for Turner as Sansa, the beautiful spoiled daughter of Ned Stark who dreams of marrying a prince and being a good wife, mother and princess.  She shows her mettle when she’s forced to play her own game of survival within the walls of her enemies.

Little brother Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright, 12), who would probably be a fourth-grader in modern times, is left at home to rule Winterfell, the seat of House Stark. He’s soldiering on despite being a cripple, the result of getting tossed out of a window after seeing the fornication between twins Jaime Lannister and Queen Cersei Baratheon, Joffrey’s true parents.

Now that’s something that can leave a mark.

Gleeson, who is in his late teens, shines as the sadistic Joffrey. In a TV season filled with hateful male teens from “Smash,” “The Killing” and “Terra Nova,” Gleeson’s portrait rings true without the feeling that he’s just there to fulfill some network demographic need.

And as the war rages on in season two of "GoT," it looks like the game will be well played by the youngest members of this compelling drama.

Who's your favorite young character on "Game of Thrones" and why? Tell us on our Facebook page!

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• More on 'Game of Thrones' in The Clicker

Fox

Heejun Han delivered his best performance of the season Wednesday, but it wasn't enough to keep him in the competition.

The Heejun Han musical comedy tour ended on “American Idol” on Thursday, ironically following his best solo performance of the season.

After weeks of getting not-so-subtle hints that he should cut back on the jokes, culminating with Steven Tyler’s less-veiled swipe a week ago, Han cut out the act and did a straight-up performance of Donny Hathaway's “A Song for You.” It was sweetly done and earned him a standing ovation.

But Jimmy Iovine summed up the situation best in his Thursday video clip. He praised Han’s effort but noted, “My problem is I don’t think he sings as well as the other eight contestants at this point in the show.”

And therein lies the paradox that characterized Han’s stint on “Idol.” He wasn’t quite compelling enough of an entertainer to win in the Taylor Hicks style, and he wasn’t a good enough pure vocalist to take the title that way. Whatever he did was going to win him some support – he definitely has a future in entertainment somewhere – but not enough to win a competition like this one.

Even on his best night, he legitimately had one of the weakest performances because everyone else was at their best as well. Since the judges did not use their save to keep him around, Han finishes in ninth place and will have to pack his things just after he moved into the “Idol” mansion. It will definitely be a less funny place without him around.

Slideshow: 'American Idol' top 9

Fox

Launch slideshow

The more shocking news was that Skylar Laine was in the bottom three, along with Hollie Cavanagh, who deserved that fate. That means Laine will likely get the fawning from the judges that’s been reserved for Elise Testone as they try to keep the star women on the show without having to use their save so early. Maybe it was divine payback for picking Miranda Lambert as her idol, considering Lambert's husband, Blake Shelton, works for "The Voice."

Of course, there are other female stars that the judges seem less eager to have hang around. Guest performer Nicki Minaj, for example. She asked host Ryan Seacrest if she could come back and be a guest judge, and while their mouths said “any time” the body language and facial expressions said “no shot.” Especially if Jennifer Lopez has a say. She did not look happy at the thought of a challenge. Simon Cowell has more of a chance at being invited to judge again than Minaj does.

Hitting the other end of the excitability meter was the Eric Benet cameo. He appeared briefly onstage to tell DeAndre Brackensick how much he appreciated the young man's cover of his tune "Sometimes I Cry" on Wednesday, and the “Idol” hopeful reacted as if  he’d won the lottery. Mariah Carey did not do the same for Joshua Ledet, but she did tweet that she liked his performance of "Without You." Stunningly, she did not mention having worked with Randy Jackson. Maybe that feedback loop works only one way?

Brackensick avoided the bottom three this past week, but he can’t rest easy. Given the unpredictability of the voting so far, the only sure thing is that with Han out, there will be less irreverence in the show next week.

Were you surprised that Skylar and Hollie were in the bottom three? Who should have had to sit on the stools? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

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• More on 'American Idol' in The Clicker

FunnyOrDie.com

Tough, angry cop with a big heart on "Law & Order: SVU"?  Actor Christopher Meloni has been there, done that. But it never hurts to revisit it! (Especially when "SVU" fans miss him so!)

In a new video on FunnyOrDie.com, the new "True Blood" season five regular pokes a bit of fun at his former role -- complete with boiling rage -- as he prepares to bring Ugandan guerrilla group leader Joseph Kony down. 

"I'm quitting acting!" Meloni declares to an agent-type dude in the video that starts off as an "SVU" spoof. "Here's my fake gun. My fake badge. Real SAG card. I'm going Congo." How very Stabler-like!

And while getting into costume for his trip, Meloni even delivers some stretches reminiscent of his time on HBO's prison drama "Oz."

Check it out:

What do you think of Meloni's latest spoof of his former cop character? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

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Kelsey Mcneal / ABC

Tony Dovolani with "Dancing With the Stars" season 10 partner Kate Gosselin.

"Dancing With the Stars" host Tom Bergeron said it best when tennis legend Martina Navratilova and her pro partner, Tony Dovolani, became the first pair eliminated from season 14 on Tuesday: "Sorry, buddy."

Sorry indeed. As many readers have complained about in our "DWTS" chats, Tony has been paired with quite a number of underperformers who had little chance of advancing far into the competition. And as Tuesday once again proved, many of these underperformers have come after season 10, when the pro was paired with reality TV mom Kate Gosselin, perhaps the dancer's most challenging partner to date.

On Friday, the pro hoofer, who has yet to win the coveted mirror ball trophy, appears on Anderson Cooper's talk show "Anderson" via satellite to dish about the popular ballroom bash, and he doesn't shy away from talking about his experiences with the mom of multiples.

"I always feel bad for you because you got stuck with Kate Gosselin," his host said. "I remember watching her dance. I'm still traumatized by that experience."

"Wait, wait. Anderson, did you just call it a dance? We didn't dance," the pro replied. 

Ouch! And here we thought the pro who has a seemingly infinite amount of patience with his partners was one of the nicest and would never speak ill of a current or past celeb partner!

That wasn't all Tony had to say about his experience ... um, performing with Kate.

The pro told Anderson that after he and Kate finished in eighth place during season 10, he needed some professional help. "There was a lot of therapy involved," Tony admitted with a chuckle.

For fans of the show who watched the season, that revelation may not come as a complete shock. After all, the pro became so frustrated during a rehearsal with Kate that he quit and walked out of the dance studio.

Tony and Martina's "Anderson" interview airs Friday, March 30. Check AndersonCooper.com for local air times.

Who would you like to see Tony partnered with next season on "Dancing With the Stars"? Share your picks on our Facebook page!

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Updated 6:30 a.m. PT: Whatever you sing in the privacy of your own shower or your car on the way to work is your business. But if you get arrested and end up in the back of a police car nowadays, it'll likely be filmed and end up on YouTube. So, sing well.

If you're apparently intoxicated and know all the words to Queen's "Bohemian Rhasody," the video will be that much better.

"I didn't say that I was intoxicated," says the man in the back of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police cruiser. "But it doesn't even matter ... it has to do with brotherhood of men on the planet Earth." And then it starts. Five minutes of cop-car karaoke.

"Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality." Got that right.

The YouTubers are quick to offer all sorts of helpful commentary, as always.

User mari3011 says, "Later he was released since all he had was a case of Mercury Poisoning."

"If I was the cop, I would have requested Freebird at the end," writes AuralSynth.

After the song ends ("Nothing really matters ...") and the video draws to a close, the back door of the police car is opened and the suspect asks, "Do you have to cuff me?" "Are you going to hit me?" an officer responds. "Physical violence is the least of my priorities." Well said, Freddie Wannabe.

We give the guy credit for making the six-minute ride from wherever he was picked up to wherever he was dropped off entertaining. Do you have a favorite song that is your back-of-the-cop-car standard? "I Fought the Law" would probably feel pretty good. A certain rap classic by N.W.A., on the other hand, would be ill advised. Share your song choices over on Facebook.

Head on over to The Smoking Gun for the story on the man behind the music. And, hey, check out the real deal below to see how well the guy actually did:

Larry Marano / Getty Images

Elton John performs in Sunrise, Fla., on March 9.

Elton John has accomplished a lot in his 65 years, but the thing he's most proud of? Getting clean and sober in 1990.

And he says if he didn't he would be another rock 'n' roll casualty.

MORE: Elton John opens up on being bullied as an adult

"I could have so easily ended up like Whitney Houston," he says in a candid interview with E! News' David Burtka. (The official cause of Houston's Feb. 11 death was a combination of accidental drowning, cocaine use and heart disease.)

"It's a miracle I didn't," he continues. "Because I'm sure I did as much cocaine as she ever did."

GALLERY: Whitney Houston's highs and lows

And John is grateful he had the willpower to quit.

"I would not be the person I am today [if I hadn't]," he says. "I wouldn't have [my son] Zachary, [my husband] David [Furnish]. I wouldn't have anything. I'd probably be dead."

Related content:

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Robyn Beck / AFP - Getty Images

Lindsay Lohan is all smiles as she leaves Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday.

 A Los Angeles judge on Thursday lifted formal probation for Lindsay Lohan, freeing the actress from court appearances and official supervision that have ruled her life since a 2007 drunk driving arrest.

Lohan, 25, who has made multiple trips to jail and rehab in the past four years, got good marks from Los Angeles Superior Court judge Stephanie Sautner for completing months of community service at a Los Angeles morgue and court-ordered psychotherapy sessions.

The actress and her attorney, Shawn Holley, thanked the judge, and Lohan said that the judge's fairness "really opened a lot of doors for me."

Judge Sautner advised Lohan to obey all laws, stay out of nightclubs, and concentrate on her work. She noted that she realized Lohan had photographers and reporters following her, but said "That's the life you chose."

Although the "Mean Girls" actress will remain on informal probation for a 2011 jewelry theft, she will not have to report regularly to court and will no longer be compelled to live in Los Angeles, as long as she stays out of trouble for the next 2 1/2 years.

Lohan's once promising movie career was derailed by years of hard partying and personal turmoil. But the former "Parent Trap" child star is now on the comeback trail, with an upcoming guest part in TV musical "Glee" and a TV movie role as screen legend Elizabeth Taylor.

Do you think Lohan can stay out of trouble? Tell us on Facebook.

Slideshow: Lindsay Lohan

Michael Nelson / EPA

Launch slideshow

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Twentieth Century Fox

George Lucas says fans can forget about any more "Star Wars" movies.

Are you a "Star Wars" fan who still holds out hope that Episodes VII, VIII and IX will someday hit theater screens? Don't count on it.

On Wednesday, George Lucas blasted away any chance of ever seeing a new birth of the “Star Wars” franchise when TMZ briefly caught him leaving a Hollywood restaurant.

Asked when the newest installment of “Star Wars” would be, Lucas was blunt: “Never,” he said, adding "I'm retired."

It appears to be Lucas’ latest film venture that turned the prolific filmmaker off moviemaking. After spending 23 years developing and fighting studios to produce “Red Tails,” the first all-black action film, which hit theaters in January, Lucas told the New York Times he was done making action movies.

“I’m retiring,” Lucas said. “I’m moving away from the business, from the company, from all this kind of stuff.”

Times reporter Bryan Curtis did point out, however, that Lucas was “careful to leave himself an out clause for a fifth 'Indiana Jones' film.”

Talk of three more "Star Wars" films has been floating around almost since the first film came out in 1977. Unlike the prequel trilogy, these films, it was said, would take up the action after the end of "Return of the Jedi," with a sixtysomething Luke Skywalker included. Lucas told "Star Wars Insider" in 1997, " I really don't have any notion other than, 'Gee, it would be interesting to do Luke Skywalker later on.' It wouldn't be part of the main story, but a sequel to this thing."

Of course, “Star Wars” fans can look forward to the re-release of all six original films in 3D -- one per year. “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace" came to theaters in the extra dimension this February, to fairly negative reviews. "No movie that has cost so much to make should be so hard to see," wrote a Newsday critic, complaining about the 3-D film's darkness.

But to fans, the series will live on even if another big-screen film never appears. A TMZ reader writes, “”Star Wars” will never be dead ... Look at the original “Star Trek” franchise: It was on television in the late 60s and early 70s and there are still people who love those shows. ... Some shows will never die.”

Can you envision three more films, or is it best that Lucas walk away now? What would happen in three more films? Tell us on Facebook.

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This tweet was posted by Spike Lee on Wednesday evening.

Film director Spike Lee has apologized to a Florida couple and agreed to pay their expenses for fleeing their home after they were harassed when he retweeted an address that was described as the home of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch captain who shot Trayvon Martin.

"Spike Lee did the right thing," the couple’s lawyer, Matt Morgan, tweeted. "The McClain’s claim is fully resolved. Thank you Spike!!!"

David and Elaine McClain, a couple in their 70s whose home is about four miles from where Martin was killed, told CNN that besides apologizing as they requested, Lee agreed to pay the cost of them having to leave their home temporarily.

No dollar amount was revealed. Elaine McClain described the apology as sincere.

The mistake by Lee, who has 250,000 Twitter followers, forced the McClains to flee to a hotel when reporters and hate mail began showing up at their home.

Elaine McClain has a son named William George Zimmerman who previously lived at the address.

Technolog: How did Spike Lee get it wrong?

"He definitely owes a big apology," McClain told the Orlando Sentinel on Wednesday. "All this is really scary and it's a shame. There's no reason they put our address out there without checking to see who lived there."

Late Wednesday, Lee made the apology via Twitter, saying he deeply apologized and urged people to "leave the McClain's [sic] in Peace." 

Some Twitter members have been sending Lee angry and often racist tweets in response to his sharing of the address, many of which he has retweeted.

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Follow US News on msnbc.com on Twitter and Facebook

20th Century Fox

Admiral Ackbar

"It's a trap!" Every "Star Wars" fans knows the line, even though the character who uttered it in 1983's "Return of the Jedi," Admiral Ackbar, was hardly a major character.

The man who delivered that famous assessment, Erik Bauersfeld, is now 90, and an interview he gave last month to the San Francisco Chronicle's Peter Hartlaub is now making its way around the Internet.

Bauersfeld, a respected radio dramatist, told Hartlaub he's still never seen the original "Star Wars."

He delivered his famous "Jedi" part in one take. "('Star Wars' sound designer) Ben Burtt showed me the picture (of Akbar) and I did it," Bauersfeld said. "I saw the face and I knew what he must sound like."

Bauersfeld also voiced Jabba the Hutt's servant Bib Fortuna, and "Star Wars" fans still send him figurines and other memorabilia of both characters, asking him to sign them, which he does.

Bauersfeld told Hartfeld that he "almost" was given the voice role of Yoda, whom he calls "that little philosopher." Yoda's voice was provided instead by famed Muppeteer Frank Oz. 

In an article Hartlaub wrote about his interview, a Chronicle reader notes, "How awesome is that, you could be sitting next to this guy in a restaurant, and have no idea he led the alliance against Darth Vader! May the force always be with you Admiral Ackbar!"

Is Ackbar a favorite character for you? Tell us on Facebook.

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Warner Bros.

Sam Worthington in "Wrath of the Titans" gets to skewer a lot of monsters, and even ride Pegasus.

REVIEW: If the Greeks think things are tough in their country right now, "Wrath of the Titans" can provide ample solace that things were once a whole lot worse. Serving up more action and better visual effects and 3D than the 2010 "Clash of the Titans," along with a barely-there screenplay that merely functions to notify Perseus which enemy or monster he should hack or skewer next, this is a relentlessly mechanical piece of work that will not or cannot take the imaginative leaps to yield even fleeting moments of awe, wonder or charm. But the elements, as they say, are present to produce a sequel that should approach the Olympian box office heights of its predecessor, which erupted for more than $493 million worldwide, a notable $330 million of which was generated outside the United States.

PHOTOS: "Wrath of the Titans" posters revealed

Greek mythology would amount to little were it not for abundant father-son conflict and this tale features two mighty generations of it. Buried deep and out of sight in particularly unfashionable part of the underworld called Tartarus is Kronos, imprisoned there by his sons Zeus, Hades and Poseidon (Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and Danny Huston, all back and bearded for another nice payday).

Nothing if not unreliable, however, Hades has a change of heart and, allied with Zeus' vicious son Ares (Edgar Ramirez, replacing Tamer Hassan in the role), captures Zeus and proceeds to begin transferring the latter's considerable powers to their restless dad. Enter Zeus' half-human son Perseus (Sam Worthington), who for a decade has been recovering from his battle with the Kraken by modestly working as a fisherman and being an exemplary single dad to son Helius (John Bell).

As so many versions of Greek myths and the gods' actions existed even in ancient times, one can't take issue with the way they're employed by screenwriters Dan Mazeau, in his debut, and David Leslie Johnson ("Red Riding Hood") and co-story writer Greg Berlanti ("Green Lantern"), other than to note that the gods here, claiming undue neglect by humans, behave like petulant mercenaries as anxious to fight as some kid might be to play a video game.

PHOTOS: Hollywood's A-List redefined

After a mettle-testing battle with the marauding Chimera, a notably aggressive flying, fiery-mouthed beast with two large heads and snapping snake's head at the end of its tail, Perseus sets out to rescue Zeus along with Andromeda (Rosamund Pyke, so delectably decked out in a snug-fitting leather outfit as to look like Katniss Everdeen's older sister), and Poseidon's wayward son Agenor (Toby Kebbell, resembling a Russell Brand clone). They in turn are joined by one-time god of craftsmanship Hephaestus (Bill Nighy), who, as its designer, is the only one capable of negotiating the complex labyrinth leading to the underworld.

The amusingly cranky Hephaestus represents a welcome relief from the other, uniformly self-serious sojourners, but he's unaccountably knocked off almost as soon as he shows up, a major blunder by the filmmakers. If you've got Bill Nighy, for a god's sake use him; the narrative could easily have accommodated keeping him on the journey for far longer until, say, Hephaestus might have misremembered some detail of his design, leading to a comically resigned demise.

Instead, things just keep getting heavier. While the relentless Ares tortures his chained father, whose arms are slowly consumed by fire, Perseus must fight off Cyclops triplets, an only glancingly-viewed Minotaur and, perhaps weirdest of all, some wild fighting machines called Makhai, which have four weapons-wielding arms and twin twisting bodies atop two legs (and, yes, Perseus does get to ride Pegasus).

VIDEO: "Wrath of the Titans" debuts new trailer featuring bigger, badder battles

When he finally emerges with the intention of laying the world to waste, Kronos could legitimately be considered the original mountain man; formed out of burning rock, he towers over all and can set fire to anything in sight with the wave of an arm. Shrewdly designed, he cuts, arguably, a pretty awesome figure, and his destruction presents Perseus with a challenge more or less on a par with what Bruce Willis faced in "Armageddon." The aftermath strongly suggests that the twilight of the gods has arrived, with humans now left to their own devices to make their way in the world without divine intervention.

As most of the dialogue is shouted or bellowed, it's rather beside the point to speak of the performances, other than to say that Sam Worthington looked marginally more at home on Pandora than he does in the Greece of myth. Effects work is not only abundant but sharp and some imagination enhances the production design. At the screening caught, image brightness was diminished only slightly through the 3-D glasses.

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Charlie Sheen has been off the radar for a while now, but it's hard to forget just how memorable he made 2011 -- his behavior put "Two and a Half Men" on hiatus, got him fired from the show (where he had become TV's highest-paid actor), and ultimately he took to the road for a series of one-man shows that bombed. But now Sheen's back with a new sitcom, the appropriately-titled "Anger Management" and he brought his slightly manic "winning" ways to TODAY on Thursday for a chat with Matt Lauer.

Sheen admitted he didn't have "a plan" about how to crawl out of the hole he'd dug himself into last year, but said, "I guess the plan was to reintroduce myself to America and to the media and say, 'Sorry about that, but here's what's happening now.'"

It's been about a year since his actions began spiraling out of control, and he agreed with Lauer that it had been like an out-of-body experience: "I just wish it was somebody else's body," he said. "You say it's been a year -- it's either been a day, or a hundred years." He snapped his fingers, to show how quickly time passed.

His behavior, he said "was a little cringeable" and he admitted, having watched segments of his stage shows, "I didn't recognize parts of who that guy was."

Still, he's not above some dark humor, some of it pointed at himself. Asked about the working conditions on "Anger" and whether he'd have to have regular drug tests, Sheen said, "There's no testing unless something obvious happens -- I show up covered in blood; somebody else's."

But he says he's in a better place now: "Anger" has already started shooting, and he covered his potentially volcanic behavior in front of the cast and crew the first day in a speech: "I don't remember what I said, everyone had a good laugh," he said. "I couldn't have the 'Two and a Half' thing be my TV legacy ... I couldn't have it end on that note. So if this is going to be the swan song, then it's got to be a beautiful experience. And so far, eight days (on "Anger") was more fun than eight years (at "Men")."

"Anger Management" premieres June 28 on FX.

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